Three takeaways from Kentucky football’s win against the Missouri Tigers

Three takeaways from Kentucky football’s 21-17 win over the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field on Saturday:

1. Colin Goodfellow made the play of the game

On an afternoon filled with Kentucky’s kicking games mistakes — two missed field goals; a 12-men-on-the-field penalty that allowed Missouri to re-kick a missed field goal — how ironic was it that a the UK punter made a spur-of-the moment play that ended up saving the Wildcats’ bacon.

With UK clinging to a 21-17 lead and facing a fourth-and-4 from its own 41-yard line with under three minutes remaining, the Cats snapped the ball over the head of punter Colin Goodfellow. The senior from Cleveland somehow managed to track the bouncing ball down just before the goal line — with a couple of Tigers in hot pursuit — then get off a punt to about his own 40-yard line while being hit by a Missouri player.

With Goodfellow judged as still being the tackle box, the hit resulted in a roughing the kicker penalty that gave UK a first down at the Missouri 44-yard line with 2:25 remaining. It also allowed the Cats to snap the ball three more times, forcing Missouri to use its last two timeouts. By the time backup punter Wilson Berry punted on fourth-and-7 from the Mizzou 41, there were only 38 seconds left.

Meanwhile, Goodfellow was injured on the play to the point where a cart had to be used to take him off the field, as the unhappy Missouri fans booed the officials’ roughing call. “He was injured,” UK Coach Mark Stoops said afterward. “He was in severe pain.”

Stoops said at first he wished Goodfellow had taken the safety on the play. But that would have cut UK’s lead to 21-19 and Missouri would have received the ball back in good field position after the free kick. With the roughing penalty, Missouri got neither the points nor the ball.

“It was a remarkable play,” Stoops said.

2. Kentucky’s offense scored when it counted

For the most part, it was another frustrating day for the Kentucky offense. For the first time this season, coordinator Rich Scangarello moved to the coaches’ box upstairs to call plays and the Cats responded by scoring their first opening-drive TD since the Northern Illinois game back on Sept. 24.

After that, the visitors were unable to take advantage of short fields. In five of its six first-half possessions, Kentucky snapped the ball in Missouri territory only to hit halftime with only a 7-3 lead.

Finally, in the third quarter, the Cats cashed in on a Missouri special teams mistake. Mizzou punter Jack Stonehouse dropped a snap and ended up running out of bounds at his own 34-yard line, short of a first down, giving Kentucky the ball back deep in Missouri territory. Eight plays later — including an 18-yard Will Levis to Tayvion Robinson pass to the 1-yard line on a third-and-5 — Levis found Jordan Dingle for a 1-yard TD and a 14-3 UK lead.

After Missouri stormed back to take a 17-14 lead with 8:07 remaining, Scangarello’s offense responded. Trying to keep the ball from UK freshman kick returner Barion Brown, Mizzou’s squib kick hit a Kentucky front-line player and was recovered by the Cats at their own 42.

First play, Levis found Key over the middle for a 19-yard drive starter. Five players later, facing a third-and-11 from the Mizzou 22, Levis hit Dane Key on the right hash and the freshman broke a tackle and found his way into the end zone for his second score of the day to put the Cats up 21-17 with 5:18 remaining.

That turned out to be the winning score on an afternoon when facing the nation’s 18th-best defense, according to yards per game allowed, Kentucky finished with 252 yards. Though sacked six times, Levis was 13 of 19 for 170 yards and three touchdowns. And running back Chris Rodriguez rushed for 112 yards on 29 carries.

3. Actually, the UK defense won the game

While Kentucky gained 252 yards, the Kentucky defense, ranked 19th in total defense, held the Tigers to just 12 first downs and 232 yards. And the Cats did it while its offense continued to find its way.

UK also did it with a tremendous effort from sophomore linebacker Trevin Wallace. Starting in place of the injured DeAndre Square, Wallace finished with a team-high nine tackles, including eight solo tackles, three tackles for a loss and a sack.

“I was really pleased with how he played,” UK defensive coordinator Brad White said afterward. “I thought he was locked in all week in practice. He was excited for this opportunity and he obviously took advantage of it.”

White also credited Square and fellow injured backer Jacquez Jones, both of whom were on the UK sideline Saturday, for coaching up both Wallace and D’Eryk Jackson throughout the game.

Perhaps the biggest series came in the fourth quarter when Kentucky had gone back in front 21-17. Missouri took over the football having scored touchdowns on its last two possessions. This time, however, the Cats forced a three-and-out to give the ball back to the offense with 4:13 remaining.

The win improved Kentucky to 6-3 on the season, including 3-3 in the conferences. It’s the seventh straight year now that Kentucky is bowl eligible.

Said Stoops, “We don’t take that for granted.”

This story was originally published November 5, 2022 at 6:13 PM.

John Clay

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-472-4218

John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky, he covered UK football from 1987 until being named sports columnist in 2000. He has covered 20 Final Fours and 42 consecutive Kentucky Derbys. Support my work with a digital subscription